I have used a shorter shaft length in my driver for the past several years. My drivers have been 44-44.25" in length. My current driver is a TaylorMade M2 and I love the length of it. I have not lost distance with the shorter shaft because I am making better strikes with it. While I know why the shaft lengths have increased over the years, for the average golfer I feel that a shorter shaft will result in better hits with more balls in the fairway.
Shorter driver shafts is imo one of the best kept golfing secrets. OEMs ship drivers with shafts that are way too long as ‘standard’ so they make marketing boasts about club head speed and distance. These shafts are way too long for 90%+ of golfers, though. You’ll hit the ball FURTHER if you can consistently strike slightly above centre, slightly towards the toe. Not only does the shorter shaft tighten-up strike pattern but it also shifts it slight towards that optimal spot. This comes at the cost of maybe 1mph of club head speed. It’s a good trade that the vast majority of your pros gladly take. 44”-44.5” is what should be ‘standard’.
Im a clubfitter and play stiff shafts. This winter i tested a number of 45" shafts and did not see any yardage differences. I installed a 45.5" 45gm shaft for testing. I got better head feel and gained 20 yards. I have customers that are playing 44" drivers and, like you, they didnt lose yardage and gained accuracy. Ive found that players with longer shafts, longer than 45.5" have more problems finding the center of the driver face.
Thank you for the video. My driver shaft length is 44 inches and I hit the ball longer and straighter than my old 45 1/2. Because of the good results with a shorter driver, I also shortened my 3, 5, and 7 wood lengths by 1 inch. I also hit each of these clubs longer and straighter, especially the 7 wood...
@@johnsteele6970 swing weight doesn't effect swing enough to make a difference, I've had plenty of luck going 1.5 inches shorter, gaining an extra 6-7 fairways a round is huge
@@kevinconnolly754 I play shorter driver & 3 wood. I have made up the swing weight a couple of different ways over the years. It certainly does make a difference, especially with feeling the club head. I was just curious to see how others have done it. I'm always looking to learn something. You never know unless you ask.
@@johnsteele6970 I shortened my driver shaft length 1.5" and put on a heavier grip (jumbo) from approximately 51g grip standard weight to approximately 65g grip weight. Gives me more confidence and fairways. I think centerline fairway hits is more important than maximum length. I still hit them relatively long though.
I play a Ping G 410 S.F.T. driver Ali. My club pro and I discussed it and I am only 5 feet 7 inches tall. We adjusted the driver shaft length to 44.5 inches as we both felt that would give me even more control without harming distance possibilities. Results are that I consistently hit the face much better and my dispersion is excellent. Also still hitting the ball for good distance. Almost feels like I am hitting my 3 or 5 Wood off the tee. My Ping 3 wood by comparison is 43 inches . So even at 44.5 inches my driver is still an inch and half longer. There are many golfers out there using driver shafts that are way too long for them and they are hurting their games by doing so. Good review Ali !!! Joe
Hi, I am 68 years old and I am playing my driver at 47” long with a xx shaft at 55 grams. At 47” the flex on the shaft changes to a regular flex. I hit the ball about 250 to 260 yards straight down the fairway. I have hit shorter shafts but not as far. The length of the shaft does not determine how far you hit the ball without fitting for shaft stiffness and swingweight (tempo) and swing speed. The main ingredient in consistent distance is a center strike on the club face.
Awesome Video you are so right shaft length doesn't get looked at enough i got fitted for my Driver and was having all kinds of problems after a round went to another spot i just happened to be out of town right off the bat i was told shaft was to long getting it cut made a huge difference in my game great video on pointing this out
Very interesting comparison, I club much better by going down the grip a bit and consequently have decent distance because the strike accuracy is better, I'm booked in tomorrow for a fitting for the Titleist TSi3 I'll now be asking for a shorter shaft option. Many Thanks
Why has the USGA made a rule to limit shaft length to 46" from 48". Why did long drive contestants used to use 56" shafts? Why did Phil win the PGA with a 47.5" shaft? Here is the physics: for every quarter inch of lever (shaft) length, the tip speed increases by 1 mph (with the same force applied). For every 1 mph, the carry distance is 2.5 yards on average (3.13 if you hit it exactly in the sweet spot of the driver). As a check on reasonability, note that at 100 mph, the carry should be 250 yards and with the pro's speed of 120 the carry should be 300 yards. Yes, it is reasonable. Now, if you are over 70 like I am, and swing at a max of 85, I should carry 212 . Well, once I extender my driver by 2", I now carry around 230+. Yes, my dispersion has also increased, but on tight holes, I choke down (a al Ricky). The physics are absolute. I have now had many of my "old" playing partners have me extend their drivers after seeing my increase in distance. Just sayin'.
@@inputimmersion9577 Yes. Physics is superseded by a guy with Launch monitor. Keep playing your shorter shafts and I will be driving it 230+ at 77 years of age with my 48" shaft. And yes, I have a 46" that I use in tournaments even when I don't have to, to avoid the complaints.
@@mikecarlson9024 The launch monitor is lying? Nobody is arguing that longer clubs hit further, but we're all arguing that you get better strike from a shorter club. PGA pros don't use 48" but i guess you know more than them mr big hitter. 230 LOL, i hit my 5 iron that far.
I’ve been using a 44” driver shaft for a few years, the driver I have now makes allowances for a shortened shaft, the Callaway fusion driver has either a 5 gram or 12 gram weight in back of the club depending on which driver length you chose.
I'm 5'6 and with my wrists at 32 inches from the floor its recommended for me to do a 43.25 driver i butt cut 2 inches down from 45.5 to 43.5 and it made a world of difference for the comfort of my swing. I could hit 45.5 when i play regularly fairly well but every season it was a learning process back into the club now its almost like its second nature.
I use a 42.25 3 on my Driver (swapped from my 3 wood), its great (Previous was a 44 something). My distance stayed the same but my my consistency improved greatly. Im also 5'4" soo.
The answer to your question in the title depends on several things. First some general principles: 1.The shorter the shaft, the stiffer it will play, although head weight affects that. More weight in the head to keep the swingweight the same if you cut it down will tend to keep the flex from changeing as much. 2.Golfer size and swing characteristics will affect which length is best. If a golfer is somewhat tall, but has an upright swing he could possibly use standard length. However if his swing plane is neutral, or flat, a longer length is called for. Otherwise he will swing down towards the ball, realize the head is outside of the ball position, pull the club in towards him to make contact. That will cause the head to cut across the ball creating fades and/or slices. Conversely, a player who is somewhat shorter will have to swing on a flatter plane to avoid hitting the ground before the ball. He will tend to swing more inside-out making draws and hooks more likely. If the swingweight and shaft flex feel about right, but the club is too long, cutting it down will reduce the swingweight and make it feel stiffer. Adding weight to the head will bring the swingweight feel back to where it feels about the same and will make the shaft play less stiff than it would otherwise. Characteristics of the shaft can make the stiffness feel different or the same if the swingweight is brought back up to the same as before cutting the shaft shorter.
Try a 43 inch driver. Years ago I cut three inches off my G25. And LOVE IT. Ia Pro can't handle a 46.5 inch driver. What makes anyone think a weekend warrior can handle a 45 inch driver? What's the purpose of a mini driver when they shrink the head on amatures
I have Cobra LTD X driver and 3 wood. I put the 3 wood shaft into the driver, it is so much more accurate, feels more comfortable and no more sprays to the right. Give it a try.
I shifted back to the 44.5 last MO. after using the 45.5 shaft for almost 1 yr. My accuracy is much better and I don't see very much, if any loss on my distance.
Recently replaced my G sft with a 917 f2 (which i believe is 3/4" shorter at 45"). Picked up probably 20ish yds, and close to 20% increase in fairways hit. If i could find a shorter shaft to demo, i'd give it a go, but live in a small town a good ways from any kind of fitting center, and not about to start chopping things up without substantial testing.
Before cutting 1” off your driver ask your club fitter to drill a hole in the butt end of a new grip the same size as the shaft. Now install the new grip sliding it down the shaft 1”. If it works for you have him or her remove this grip, cut down the shaft and install a new grip. If it didn’t work for you just put a new grip back on. No harm no foul. Wes
Thanks for the vid, very enlightening. Although I do wonder whether a golfer with a lower club head speed i.e. 90-95 mph, might benefit more from a longer shaft. I did notice recently my M4 driver purchased in 2019 was a little longer than my RBZ purchased 2014. It appears that manufacturers are not just cranking down iron lofts, but also increasing shaft lengths to maximise distance.
You outdo David Duval in leading the strike with your head turn! I'd love to hear an explanation of your swing, as it's certainly not recommended (by the way, I'm not one of those 'keep your head down' fools!).
You needed to do a 43 1/2" as well. I hit my current driver at that length and have found more yardage, and more fairways because my strike and control are much tighter and if this game is about scoring,......it start at the tee box. I lost 2 mph club head speed. Missing the fairway and losing balls scares me more than a shorter club.
Whether ur shaft is shorter or longer is completely subjective. Its whatever shaft length you feel most comfortable hitting consistently in the center of the face. Yes, according to basic math, if you keep everything constant and extend the shaft so the head is further away from the fulcrum, u will generate more club head speed which =more ballspeed. The problem is if u hit it less consistently on the center of the face, it doesn't matter bcs u will loose more ballspeed on a miss hit than you gain mechanically by a longer shaft. Center of face contact is king here. I myself find that missing the center of my driver face by 1 inch decreases my ball speed 10 mph. That is equivalent to about 30 yards less distance.
I always cut an inch off of a new driver. I'd rather be in or around the fairway. I noticed that your carry distance is around 25 yards shorter than the total distance. My experience on the courses where I live is that we don't get much roll at all. Normally find your ball very close to the divot mark because courses we play are not dried out but very plush. Those simulators are ego boosters. Good video though.
If you watch Rory McIlroy - he often has a lot of grip showing - thus further reducing the effective length of the shaft .... doesn't appear to his distance much harm .........
For those of you who cut the shaft down (butt cut) how did you make up for the swing weight difference. When you butt cut a shaft you lose swing weight. If you cut it down 1" you lose a considerable amount of swing weight making the head feel light.
You have two options when taking an inch off the shaft, either add weight to the head to increase the SW or take weight off the grip, you can buy a lightweight grip at 20 grams lighter which would also bring up the SW. I would rather take weight off the grip rather than adding physical weight, which in turn could impact your ability to swing as fast.
I use a 43" shaft and I have better control and did not loose hardly any yardage.. and all my irons are at 41" and my accuracy is far better and did not loose any yardage due to having all my irons the same length
It's a strong don't you have to add head weight when you use a shorter shaft and if so how do you do that? You can't just add 18 g to a head with lead tape.
Myself use 46. And hit it great same accuracy as with a 45.25 but the 46 is significantly longer for me. I have longer arc in my swing so the longer is better for me . Everyone different obviously
I have been using 44.50 all year ,won't go back longer now ,with out doubt the shorter shaft works better for you too ,Are you going to keep it at 44.50 ?
Massively late to this video, but I currently use a ping G sf tec which I believe stock shaft is 45.75 inches. Looking to try and size down. Where can I get a shorter shaft that will fit into the head correctly?
pick up a Ping 3 wood shaft off ebay. I have a G400 Max driver with a standard length shaft and just picked up a G400 3 wood shaft from ebay (exact same shaft but playing at 42 inches) for $90 to give it a whirl.
I cut my Z765 down to 44. And have never looked back, my smash factor has gone up from high .3’s to high .4’s carry up to over 230 and dispersion (critical for our course) is tight. Noe lost any run out with drives finishing around 255-260. Chose to do it on my Srixon as they don’t have a high second hand value, goodness knows why they are an awesome club for their money.
Is it usual practice to cut down shaft? I talked to pro shop and they are dead against blah blah blah, what else do I need to do with a shorthened shaft? Thanks
my swing speed is 100 mph and i changed my standard stiff driver shaft to a ALDILA RIP X stiff shaft at 48 inch and can honestly say i have never hit my driver as good as i do now.
I agree I went to the max 48 inches stiff beginning of last season I gained 25 yard up to 245ish drives took my handycap from 18 to 14 best thing I ever did it also slowed down my swing which helped with hitting the fairway consistently my age 74 this year
If it was just butt cut, there would be a huge difference - likely D2 going to C6 (in that range). It really has to be mostly tipped & very slightly butt cut with a tiny bit of head weight added as well. If I was a driver manufacturer, I would launch a set of 44" drivers, in addition to 45.5" drivers - all properly swing weighted - and market them as such - they would sell very well.
It is much heavier given the diameter at the butt end than at the tip. The butt is also MUCH stiffer - so by butt cutting it 1 1/2 inches, you are basically bringing the shaft down 1 full stiffness level so Stiff becoming Regular. Again, this is all assuming this was just a hacked 45.5" shaft from the butt and not properly done. Even just hacked I think most people are 100% better off swinging a 44" driver shaft - the one issue you have if you are a fast swinging player is that a light swing weighted club get get that lost feeling where you really don't know where it is.
For sure. My driver has a removable weight. So I plan on ordering a heavier one when I do get it cut down. I've been reading 6 grams of head weight for every inch cut. Sound right.
Had the same experience with an XR driver that I cut down to 44 1/2 inches. Problem was that swing weight went to C3. Need to compensate for changes to swing weight
Robert Ng took the driver to Golf Galaxy and measured it on their swing weight scale. Then added enough lead tape to bring it back to D0. Appropriately 2 grams per swing weight or 14 grams. However adding weight effects MOI weight is best split on the outside edges low and rear. Takes some trial and error. Weight also effect shaft purring can cause the shaft to oscillate out of round.
Tiger was still using a steel shafted driver after everyone else had moved on. Seemed to work well for him. Of course, he’s Tiger Woods and you’re not so ymmv.
@@AliTaylorGolf I'm 5.6, slight to medium build. What's soul crushing is that I've been to so many fittings and all they do is look at shaft flex, club head speed. I swing at about 100mph. the fitters go "wow" that's awesome, here's a stiff shaft for you????? I use alot of leverage. How can the fitters expect me to swing a 45plus inch club. Then they tell me to go to a coach and "fix" my swing. I hit my irons and hybrids very well. I hit my 3wood anything over 200meters of carry and then with my driver get max 220m or maybe 230m at times full distance with my driver. I found an old 913 D3 at 44inches (by absolutely chance) for about 100 pounds and I found I just liked (i didn't know about lenght at this time but now I get it). then I got "fitted" and bought the ping sft at 530 pounds that I hit okayish but occassionally would bomb it. This is highly frustrating as now I understand why i hit the 3wood well and driver so badly. I think shaft length on those clubs is more important than flex. I've seen the pros and a front on view it looks like they have a 3iron or 5wood in their hands at address when in fact its their driver!!!! The sad reality now is that there doesn't seem to be genuine club fitters in South Africa who actually want to fit you properly. They don't check grip size and they don't check shaft length on a driver fitting. Anyway great video. I'll have to figure this one out.
@@stsingh1979 All fitters are not created equally in my eyes. And some are just not as experienced as others. I don't have your swing speed . I am about 87 mph or so. I play a Ping G 410 SFT myself but the shaft is exactly 44.5 inches long. That length changed my life with the driver. Distance, dispersion and quality of strikes much much better. Many golfers today are playing with shafts way too long and are hurting their games. Joe
After getting similar results,I also cut my driver down to 44.5 inches which is what the tour average is. If tour pros are using 44.5 inch drivers why would an amatuer use 45.5 or more?
Bill, First of all my swing is around 110 and second of all it has been proven than MOST people do not get more speed or distance with just a longer driver.See Tom Wishon's ten myths. Shaft flex,shaft weight,purity of strike and swing shape are all much more important factors than simply adding length to a shaft.
E.L.Dorado come on bro we all know you are not swinging it 110 lol. And i guarantee you the longer the shaft the faster the club-head will be. You are telling me you can swing both your Pitching wedge and driver at 110. No u get the speed with the longer shaft
Yes I am swinging 110 and my swing was around 117 in my 20's and 30's. And a longer shaft does not always equate to more speed. Many times if the speed goes up,the smash factor goes down. If speed is all anyone needed then we would all play 48 inch (the max length allowed) drivers.
Driver for boys was Your game, longer shaft is for us men? No I just jokeing, but myself, old man 80+, very very short backswing, hi smashfaktor,47 inch shaft is perfect on my Call.XR driver. Nice test///Johnny
@@AliTaylorGolf of course! When it feels good/right your performance will usually match it. I love using a 1995 46" old titanium driver on fairways for long par 5s. Just a matter of adjusting swing.....which I do understand is not easy for everyone. Also....I'm 6'1 and use 1" over standard length as what's been recommended by pros for decades. Now they want a new fad....one length irons. It's a sales pitch just as the long driver in the 90s. It's not for everyone
Done same 68 years old longer shaftbiows shorter shaft out of the water be careful guys these tests are totally subjective to player specifics do your own tests PLEASE
Your data makes no sense. How can your Smash be lower on average with the 44.5" driver, when you hit it better? Ahh I see you had one miss hit. Probable should have taken that out of the sample!
Strike is massively influenced by length of shaft. A robot arm will find the centre of the face with any length shaft, why am I being ignorant? Robot arms don't play golf, humans do and so human testing is always more relevant.
I have used a shorter shaft length in my driver for the past several years. My drivers have been 44-44.25" in length. My current driver is a TaylorMade M2 and I love the length of it. I have not lost distance with the shorter shaft because I am making better strikes with it. While I know why the shaft lengths have increased over the years, for the average golfer I feel that a shorter shaft will result in better hits with more balls in the fairway.
Shorter driver shafts is imo one of the best kept golfing secrets. OEMs ship drivers with shafts that are way too long as ‘standard’ so they make marketing boasts about club head speed and distance. These shafts are way too long for 90%+ of golfers, though. You’ll hit the ball FURTHER if you can consistently strike slightly above centre, slightly towards the toe. Not only does the shorter shaft tighten-up strike pattern but it also shifts it slight towards that optimal spot. This comes at the cost of maybe 1mph of club head speed. It’s a good trade that the vast majority of your pros gladly take. 44”-44.5” is what should be ‘standard’.
Im a clubfitter and play stiff shafts. This winter i tested a number of 45" shafts and did not see any yardage differences. I installed a 45.5" 45gm shaft for testing. I got better head feel and gained 20 yards. I have customers that are playing 44" drivers and, like you, they didnt lose yardage and gained accuracy. Ive found that players with longer shafts, longer than 45.5" have more problems finding the center of the driver face.
Thank you for the video. My driver shaft length is 44 inches and I hit the ball longer and straighter than my old 45 1/2. Because of the good results with a shorter driver, I also shortened my 3, 5, and 7 wood lengths by 1 inch. I also hit each of these clubs longer and straighter, especially the 7 wood...
How did you make up for the lost swing weight
@@johnsteele6970 swing weight doesn't effect swing enough to make a difference, I've had plenty of luck going 1.5 inches shorter, gaining an extra 6-7 fairways a round is huge
@@kevinconnolly754 I play shorter driver & 3 wood. I have made up the swing weight a couple of different ways over the years. It certainly does make a difference, especially with feeling the club head. I was just curious to see how others have done it. I'm always looking to learn something. You never know unless you ask.
@@johnsteele6970 I shortened my driver shaft length 1.5" and put on a heavier grip (jumbo) from approximately 51g grip standard weight to approximately 65g grip weight. Gives me more confidence and fairways. I think centerline fairway hits is more important than maximum length. I still hit them relatively long though.
@@johnsteele6970 I cut my driver 2 inches and ignored the swi g weight issue. And its fine.
I play a Ping G 410 S.F.T. driver Ali. My club pro and I discussed it and I am only 5 feet 7 inches tall. We adjusted the driver shaft length to 44.5 inches as we both felt that would give me even more control without harming distance possibilities. Results are that I consistently hit the face much better and my dispersion is excellent. Also still hitting the ball for good distance. Almost feels like I am hitting my 3 or 5 Wood off the tee. My Ping 3 wood by comparison is 43 inches . So even at 44.5 inches my driver is still an inch and half longer. There are many golfers out there using driver shafts that are way too long for them and they are hurting their games by doing so. Good review Ali !!! Joe
Your comment regarding your height is important. I am 5feet 7inches tall ancient a 45.5 inch driver just feels unmanageable.
Hi, I am 68 years old and I am playing my driver at 47” long with a xx shaft at 55 grams. At 47” the flex on the shaft changes to a regular flex. I hit the ball about 250 to 260 yards straight down the fairway. I have hit shorter shafts but not as far. The length of the shaft does not determine how far you hit the ball without fitting for shaft stiffness and swingweight (tempo) and swing speed. The main ingredient in consistent distance is a center strike on the club face.
Awesome Video you are so right shaft length doesn't get looked at enough i got fitted for my Driver and was having all kinds of problems after a round went to another spot i just happened to be out of town right off the bat i was told shaft was to long getting it cut made a huge difference in my game great video on pointing this out
+mack042 Thank you, glad you enjoyed it.
Very interesting comparison, I club much better by going down the grip a bit and consequently have decent distance because the strike accuracy is better, I'm booked in tomorrow for a fitting for the Titleist TSi3 I'll now be asking for a shorter shaft option. Many Thanks
Why has the USGA made a rule to limit shaft length to 46" from 48". Why did long drive contestants used to use 56" shafts? Why did Phil win the PGA with a 47.5" shaft?
Here is the physics: for every quarter inch of lever (shaft) length, the tip speed increases by 1 mph (with the same force applied). For every 1 mph, the carry distance is 2.5 yards on average (3.13 if you hit it exactly in the sweet spot of the driver).
As a check on reasonability, note that at 100 mph, the carry should be 250 yards and with the pro's speed of 120 the carry should be 300 yards. Yes, it is reasonable.
Now, if you are over 70 like I am, and swing at a max of 85, I should carry 212 . Well, once I extender my driver by 2", I now carry around 230+. Yes, my dispersion has also increased, but on tight holes, I choke down (a al Ricky). The physics are absolute. I have now had many of my "old" playing partners have me extend their drivers after seeing my increase in distance. Just sayin'.
Exact opposite results to the video where shorter shaft resulted in more speed and more distance.
@@inputimmersion9577 Yes. Physics is superseded by a guy with Launch monitor. Keep playing your shorter shafts and I will be driving it 230+ at 77 years of age with my 48" shaft. And yes, I have a 46" that I use in tournaments even when I don't have to, to avoid the complaints.
@@mikecarlson9024 The launch monitor is lying? Nobody is arguing that longer clubs hit further, but we're all arguing that you get better strike from a shorter club.
PGA pros don't use 48" but i guess you know more than them mr big hitter. 230 LOL, i hit my 5 iron that far.
I’ve been using a 44” driver shaft for a few years, the driver I have now makes allowances for a shortened shaft, the Callaway fusion driver has either a 5 gram or 12 gram weight in back of the club depending on which driver length you chose.
Bought a Ping G400 LST with a 43 inch spoon shaft this year. Best driver i ever been playing with and I´ve have been playing for 20 years, 4 hpc.
I’ve been toying with the idea of cutting an inch off my driver’s shaft, now I’m certainly convinced it will help my consistency.
I'm 5'6 and with my wrists at 32 inches from the floor its recommended for me to do a 43.25 driver i butt cut 2 inches down from 45.5 to 43.5 and it made a world of difference for the comfort of my swing. I could hit 45.5 when i play regularly fairly well but every season it was a learning process back into the club now its almost like its second nature.
josh pashia I am the same height- I am going to cut my driver too- did you cut your 3 wood as well?
Jeff Wien no just the driver
I swapped out the shaft on my callaway razr fit to a shaft off of a razr fit 3 wood, about 2" difference, and i am finding the fairway a lot more
Using a shorter shaft helped my accuracy and I didn't notice any difference in distance. A different game when your not playing out the trees.
I use a 42.25 3 on my Driver (swapped from my 3 wood), its great (Previous was a 44 something). My distance stayed the same but my my consistency improved greatly. Im also 5'4" soo.
I am only 5 feet 7 inches. I use a 43 inch driver. Smart move !!!
Going to be trying 42.75" very soon...I'm a little less than 5-7
@@josephdubiel7129 I'm about 5-7 and have a 43" T-M R11S...will be trying 42.75" Cobra F8 soon
The answer to your question in the title depends on several things. First some general principles: 1.The shorter the shaft, the stiffer it will play, although head weight affects that. More weight in the head to keep the swingweight the same if you cut it down will tend to keep the flex from changeing as much. 2.Golfer size and swing characteristics will affect which length is best. If a golfer is somewhat tall, but has an upright swing he could possibly use standard length. However if his swing plane is neutral, or flat, a longer length is called for. Otherwise he will swing down towards the ball, realize the head is outside of the ball position, pull the club in towards him to make contact. That will cause the head to cut across the ball creating fades and/or slices. Conversely, a player who is somewhat shorter will have to swing on a flatter plane to avoid hitting the ground before the ball. He will tend to swing more inside-out making draws and hooks more likely. If the swingweight and shaft flex feel about right, but the club is too long, cutting it down will reduce the swingweight and make it feel stiffer. Adding weight to the head will bring the swingweight feel back to where it feels about the same and will make the shaft play less stiff than it would otherwise. Characteristics of the shaft can make the stiffness feel different or the same if the swingweight is brought back up to the same as before cutting the shaft shorter.
Such an easy looking swing for all those long drives. 44.5 is the way to go.
Without doubt Ali,shorter shaft was working better there.I would prefer the shorter one
Have been watching all the tests that people have done and it looks really promising.
Can you try putting a 3 wood and 5 wood shaft in the driver too?
its going to play different because the 3 and 5 wood shafts are trimmed by an inch or more. I have done it myself with very little difference
Cant you just play down the grip by an inch to see the difference before swapping out?
MidLifeBiker I did last week and it made a very noticeable difference. Going to try it a couple more times to make sure it wasn’t a one off.
My driver is 48"..... Like swinging a finishing rod 😂 but I still love her
Try a 43 inch driver.
Years ago I cut three inches off my G25.
And LOVE IT.
Ia Pro can't handle a 46.5 inch driver. What makes anyone think a weekend warrior can handle a 45 inch driver?
What's the purpose of a mini driver when they shrink the head on amatures
Go for Shorter Shafts for me after Your test, will try it next time!
Just hold grip shorter and test first for me!
Thanks for Tipz,
Johnny D Bergh
I have Cobra LTD X driver and 3 wood. I put the 3 wood shaft into the driver, it is so much more accurate, feels more comfortable and no more sprays to the right. Give it a try.
I am 5' 7" tall and I usually buy or cut my shafts off 1" shorter than standard men's clubs. Am I wrong to do this!
I shifted back to the 44.5 last MO. after using the 45.5 shaft for almost 1 yr. My accuracy is much better and I don't see very much, if any loss on my distance.
Recently replaced my G sft with a 917 f2 (which i believe is 3/4" shorter at 45"). Picked up probably 20ish yds, and close to 20% increase in fairways hit. If i could find a shorter shaft to demo, i'd give it a go, but live in a small town a good ways from any kind of fitting center, and not about to start chopping things up without substantial testing.
Great video idea! What about feel difference? Was the shorter shaft harsher/ stiffer/ less sweet feeling?
Before cutting 1” off your driver ask your club fitter to drill a hole in the butt end of a new grip the same size as the shaft. Now install the new grip sliding it down the shaft 1”. If it works for you have him or her remove this grip, cut down the shaft and install a new grip. If it didn’t work for you just put a new grip back on. No harm no foul. Wes
Thank you for this tip. I think it is very useful. I will try it and see if the shorter shaft will work for me.
Thanks for the vid, very enlightening. Although I do wonder whether a golfer with a lower club head speed i.e. 90-95 mph, might benefit more from a longer shaft. I did notice recently my M4 driver purchased in 2019 was a little longer than my RBZ purchased 2014. It appears that manufacturers are not just cranking down iron lofts, but also increasing shaft lengths to maximise distance.
All depends on wether you can maintain your strike.
How do you measure the length ...from the tip to butt whilst shaft is off...?
You outdo David Duval in leading the strike with your head turn! I'd love to hear an explanation of your swing, as it's certainly not recommended (by the way, I'm not one of those 'keep your head down' fools!).
Peter Kelly b
Nice job Ali!
You needed to do a 43 1/2" as well. I hit my current driver at that length and have found more yardage, and more fairways because my strike and control are much tighter and if this game is about scoring,......it start at the tee box. I lost 2 mph club head speed. Missing the fairway and losing balls scares me more than a shorter club.
Very interesting test, Ali! Maybe I should stop gripping driver all the way at the end...
Ive been cutting mine down for years ive got no control over a full length driver,
Just just the perfect length for you.
Whether ur shaft is shorter or longer is completely subjective. Its whatever shaft length you feel most comfortable hitting consistently in the center of the face.
Yes, according to basic math, if you keep everything constant and extend the shaft so the head is further away from the fulcrum, u will generate more club head speed which =more ballspeed. The problem is if u hit it less consistently on the center of the face, it doesn't matter bcs u will loose more ballspeed on a miss hit than you gain mechanically by a longer shaft. Center of face contact is king here.
I myself find that missing the center of my driver face by 1 inch decreases my ball speed 10 mph. That is equivalent to about 30 yards less distance.
I always cut an inch off of a new driver. I'd rather be in or around the fairway. I noticed that your carry distance is around 25 yards shorter than the total distance. My experience on the courses where I live is that we don't get much roll at all. Normally find your ball very close to the divot mark because courses we play are not dried out but very plush. Those simulators are ego boosters. Good video though.
First and second shaft shot results really can’t say much other than you were consistently inconsistent. A club I’m a member of.
Great content. Well done. 👍🏌⛳😀
If you watch Rory McIlroy - he often has a lot of grip showing - thus further reducing the effective length of the shaft .... doesn't appear to his distance much harm .........
How much lead tape to add to head per 1/2" shaft cut to keep swing weight the same?
Very interesting. Funny that was no drop off in speed, maybe because you felt more confident and hence freer with the shorter shaft?
For those of you who cut the shaft down (butt cut) how did you make up for the swing weight difference. When you butt cut a shaft you lose swing weight. If you cut it down 1" you lose a considerable amount of swing weight making the head feel light.
You have two options when taking an inch off the shaft, either add weight to the head to increase the SW or take weight off the grip, you can buy a lightweight grip at 20 grams lighter which would also bring up the SW. I would rather take weight off the grip rather than adding physical weight, which in turn could impact your ability to swing as fast.
Should one just choke down or get the shaft cut down, I know...go get fitted. I'm just wondering is choking down a good comparison is all. ;)
Is the shaft length 44.5 or is the driver 44.5 total length when assembled?
I use a 43" shaft and I have better control and did not loose hardly any yardage.. and all my irons are at 41" and my accuracy is far better and did not loose any yardage due to having all my irons the same length
It's a strong don't you have to add head weight when you use a shorter shaft and if so how do you do that? You can't just add 18 g to a head with lead tape.
Does anyone add weight to the head for swing weight or does taking 1 inch of the top not matter that much ?
Did you have any issues with weight differential and swing quality?
So how is it that you were "fitted" for 45 1/2 in driver?
That was my main thought too.
In my fitting I hit the 45.5" driver really well, strike was really consistent. Maybe 44.5" better on my poor days.
Myself use 46. And hit it great same accuracy as with a 45.25 but the 46 is significantly longer for me. I have longer arc in my swing so the longer is better for me . Everyone different obviously
So are you going to start gaming a shorter shaft?
My driver is short in length by about 2" compared to these modern driver lengths, as far as am concerned the shorter driver is key to long drives.
Truth
So are you gonna switch to 44.5
Trying to out whether a shorter shaft is okay with a slower swing speed
It absolutely is. My swing speed is about 85-87 mph. I play driver at 44.5 inches with good results.
It is.
I have been using 44.50 all year ,won't go back longer now ,with out doubt the shorter shaft works better for you too ,Are you going to keep it at 44.50 ?
It would be interesting to try 43.5 too.
Yep... I play a 44" steel shaft in mine. The added weight gives me a feeling of control! But 0.5" is nothing!
Massively late to this video, but I currently use a ping G sf tec which I believe stock shaft is 45.75 inches. Looking to try and size down. Where can I get a shorter shaft that will fit into the head correctly?
pick up a Ping 3 wood shaft off ebay. I have a G400 Max driver with a standard length shaft and just picked up a G400 3 wood shaft from ebay (exact same shaft but playing at 42 inches) for $90 to give it a whirl.
You cut the grip end numpty.
You can send your driver to Ping and you can choose from a selection of shafts - and request the length you want. ping.com/en-us/club-repair
I cut my Z765 down to 44. And have never looked back, my smash factor has gone up from high .3’s to high .4’s carry up to over 230 and dispersion (critical for our course) is tight. Noe lost any run out with drives finishing around 255-260.
Chose to do it on my Srixon as they don’t have a high second hand value, goodness knows why they are an awesome club for their money.
Is it usual practice to cut down shaft? I talked to pro shop and they are dead against blah blah blah, what else do I need to do with a shorthened shaft? Thanks
Did you feel any difference with swing weight? 1” shorter maybe equates 2-3 swing weights
Not really
45’’ is perfect for me.
my swing speed is 100 mph and i changed my standard stiff driver shaft to a ALDILA RIP X stiff shaft at 48 inch and can honestly say i have never hit my driver as good as i do now.
truzar100 it all depends on the player some may hit it well some may not
I agree I went to the max 48 inches stiff beginning of last season I gained 25 yard up to 245ish drives took my handycap from 18 to 14 best thing I ever did it also slowed down my swing which helped with hitting the fairway consistently my age 74 this year
What’s the difference in swing weight between the 2? How would that affect your delivery?
Didn't check the swing weight, but angle of attack was about 3 deg up with both.
If it was just butt cut, there would be a huge difference - likely D2 going to C6 (in that range). It really has to be mostly tipped & very slightly butt cut with a tiny bit of head weight added as well. If I was a driver manufacturer, I would launch a set of 44" drivers, in addition to 45.5" drivers - all properly swing weighted - and market them as such - they would sell very well.
Paul O'Neil is that because the shaft is heavier at the butt end? Considering this myself and was curious which end to have cut.
It is much heavier given the diameter at the butt end than at the tip. The butt is also MUCH stiffer - so by butt cutting it 1 1/2 inches, you are basically bringing the shaft down 1 full stiffness level so Stiff becoming Regular. Again, this is all assuming this was just a hacked 45.5" shaft from the butt and not properly done. Even just hacked I think most people are 100% better off swinging a 44" driver shaft - the one issue you have if you are a fast swinging player is that a light swing weighted club get get that lost feeling where you really don't know where it is.
For sure. My driver has a removable weight. So I plan on ordering a heavier one when I do get it cut down. I've been reading 6 grams of head weight for every inch cut. Sound right.
I am 5ft 6in. I need to chop down.
So you have been missing out for 3 years. Hopefully your wise enough to go down to 44.5”
Should I cut my 3 wood too?
What about weight?
Had the same experience with an XR driver that I cut down to 44 1/2 inches. Problem was that swing weight went to C3. Need to compensate for changes to swing weight
hi2meb I have xr16 driver with a speeder 665 but mine was already at 44 . 75 ...how did you measure it...?
Robert Ng took the driver to Golf Galaxy and measured it on their swing weight scale. Then added enough lead tape to bring it back to D0. Appropriately 2 grams per swing weight or 14 grams. However adding weight effects MOI weight is best split on the outside edges low and rear. Takes some trial and error. Weight also effect shaft purring can cause the shaft to oscillate out of round.
Funny, I longer my XR driver one inch from standard! Hit Balls longer after that. Need more range practice but hit longer than my friends in same age!
Tiger was still using a steel shafted driver after everyone else had moved on. Seemed to work well for him. Of course, he’s Tiger Woods and you’re not so ymmv.
Sloe Bone and jack Nicklaus is jack Nicklaus and tiger woods is not. Nicklaus still holds the highest records. Nicklaus is still king of the Hill.
I. Would like to see a mid handicapper perform the same test. Having a good golfer hitting the ball doesn’t really show much.
How tall are you @alitaylorgolf?
6ft 1in
@@AliTaylorGolf I'm 5.6, slight to medium build. What's soul crushing is that I've been to so many fittings and all they do is look at shaft flex, club head speed. I swing at about 100mph. the fitters go "wow" that's awesome, here's a stiff shaft for you????? I use alot of leverage. How can the fitters expect me to swing a 45plus inch club. Then they tell me to go to a coach and "fix" my swing. I hit my irons and hybrids very well. I hit my 3wood anything over 200meters of carry and then with my driver get max 220m or maybe 230m at times full distance with my driver.
I found an old 913 D3 at 44inches (by absolutely chance) for about 100 pounds and I found I just liked (i didn't know about lenght at this time but now I get it). then I got "fitted" and bought the ping sft at 530 pounds that I hit okayish but occassionally would bomb it. This is highly frustrating as now I understand why i hit the 3wood well and driver so badly. I think shaft length on those clubs is more important than flex. I've seen the pros and a front on view it looks like they have a 3iron or 5wood in their hands at address when in fact its their driver!!!!
The sad reality now is that there doesn't seem to be genuine club fitters in South Africa who actually want to fit you properly.
They don't check grip size and they don't check shaft length on a driver fitting. Anyway great video. I'll have to figure this one out.
@@stsingh1979 All fitters are not created equally in my eyes. And some are just not as experienced as others. I don't have your swing speed . I am about 87 mph or so. I play a Ping G 410 SFT myself but the shaft is exactly 44.5 inches long. That length changed my life with the driver. Distance, dispersion and quality of strikes much much better. Many golfers today are playing with shafts way too long and are hurting their games. Joe
After getting similar results,I also cut my driver down to 44.5 inches which is what the tour average is.
If tour pros are using 44.5 inch drivers why would an amatuer use 45.5 or more?
E.L.Dorado they swing 115 to 125 and you are 90 to 100 They can afford shorter shafts we can not
Bill,
First of all my swing is around 110 and second of all it has been proven than MOST people do not get more speed or distance with just a longer driver.See Tom Wishon's ten myths.
Shaft flex,shaft weight,purity of strike and swing shape are all much more important factors than simply adding length to a shaft.
E.L.Dorado come on bro we all know you are not swinging it 110 lol. And i guarantee you the longer the shaft the faster the club-head will be. You are telling me you can swing both your Pitching wedge and driver at 110. No u get the speed with the longer shaft
Yes I am swinging 110 and my swing was around 117 in my 20's and 30's.
And a longer shaft does not always equate to more speed.
Many times if the speed goes up,the smash factor goes down.
If speed is all anyone needed then we would all play 48 inch (the max length allowed) drivers.
Driver for boys was Your game, longer shaft is for us men? No I just jokeing,
but myself, old man 80+, very very short backswing, hi smashfaktor,47 inch shaft is perfect on my Call.XR driver. Nice test///Johnny
Smooth swing, sure does not look 110mph.
So size matters🤣🤣I cut an inch off my drivers years ago. Way more control. I probably read about it in a magazine. Didn't have internet back then.
And your age is?
Please remember this guy is six foot five?
What feels better is what's most important. Everything else is over analyzed these days.
What about performance?
@@AliTaylorGolf of course! When it feels good/right your performance will usually match it. I love using a 1995 46" old titanium driver on fairways for long par 5s. Just a matter of adjusting swing.....which I do understand is not easy for everyone. Also....I'm 6'1 and use 1" over standard length as what's been recommended by pros for decades. Now they want a new fad....one length irons. It's a sales pitch just as the long driver in the 90s. It's not for everyone
My SS is around 165 mph with a ball speed of 367 mph. I prefer 35 inch driver hit one handed.
Go shorter so you are leaning over more and putting more strain on your back and feel in an uncomfortable position
Done same 68 years old longer shaftbiows shorter shaft out of the water be careful guys these tests are totally subjective to player specifics do your own tests PLEASE
Absolutely, get fitted.
You look like rick shiels
Your data makes no sense. How can your Smash be lower on average with the 44.5" driver, when you hit it better? Ahh I see you had one miss hit. Probable should have taken that out of the sample!
P
Why do people always make these videos with a person swinging? Use a robot arm, otherwise your data is meaningless.
Why?
@@AliTaylorGolf what do you mean why? To remove human error.
But humans play golf
@@AliTaylorGolf Oh, I see... you're being willfully ignorant like a child. Cute.
Strike is massively influenced by length of shaft. A robot arm will find the centre of the face with any length shaft, why am I being ignorant? Robot arms don't play golf, humans do and so human testing is always more relevant.